Jorge Cunha Lima Muniz

Digestible lysine levels in diets for laying Japanese quails

The objective of this study was to estimate the digestible lysine requirement of Japanese quails in the egg-laying phase. A total of 336 female Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) of average initial age of 207 days were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design, composed of 6 treatments (lysine levels) with 7 replicates and 8 birds per experimental unit, with duration of 84 days. Experimental diets were formulated from a basal diet, with corn and soybean meal, with 2.800 kcal ME/kg and 203.70 g/kg crude protein, showing levels of 9.50; 10.00; 10.50; 11.00; 11.50; and 12.00 g/kg digestible lysine; diets remained isoprotein and isocaloric. The following variables were studied: feed intake (FI); lysine intake (LI); egg production per bird per day (EPBD); egg production per bird housed (EPBH); production of marketable eggs (PME); egg weight (EW); egg mass (EM); utilization efficiency of lysine for egg mass production (UELEM); feed conversion per mass (FCEM); feed conversion per dozen eggs (FCDZ); bird availability (BA); percentages of yolk (Y), albumen (A) and shell (S); specific egg weight (SW); nitrogen ingested (NI); nitrogen excreted (NE); and nitrogen balance (NB). Significant effect was only observed for LI, EW, EM, UELEM, FCEM, Y, A and SW. The digestible lysine level estimated in diets for laying Japanese quails is 11.20 g digestible lysine/kg diet, corresponding to an average daily intake of 272.23 mg lysine.

Proteína bruta e energia metabolizável para codornas de corte de um a 14 dias de idade

Aiming to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude protein and metabolizable energy for quails from 1 to 14 days of age, a study was conducted using 840 quails, mixed. The birds were distributed in a factorial arrangement (2x5) consisting of 10 treatments (two levels of metabolizable energy - 2,800 and 3,000kcal/kg and 5 levels of crude protein - 22.0, 24.0, 26.0, 28.0 and 30.0%), 7 repetitions with 12 birds each. We evaluated the following parameters: feed intake, weight gain at 7 and 14 days of age, feed conversion at 14 days and viability. It was found that quail fed diets with the lowest energy level, 2,800kcal/kg, showed higher consumption. Birds fed diets with lower energy level had greater weight at 7 days of age regardless of the level of crude protein used. The weight at 14 days of age showed a quadratic response with the addition of crude protein in feed, showing that diets containing 28.86% CP provide better gain regardless of the level of energy used. The feed showed better results with the increased level of dietary CP, regardless of level of metabolizable energy used. There were no significant effects of protein and energy levels or their interaction on viability. Diets with 30.0% crude protein and 2,800 or 3,000kcal/kg metabolizable energy provide satisfactory performance results for quails from 1 to 14 days of age.

Available phosphorus levels in diets supplemented with phytase for male broilers aged 22 to 42 days kept in a high-temperature environment

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of reduction of the available phosphorus (avP) in diets supplemented with 500 FTU/kg phytase on performance, carcass characteristics, and bone mineralization of broilers aged 22 to 42 days kept in a high-temperature environment. A total of 336 Cobb broilers with an average initial weight of 0.883±0.005 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with six treatments - a positive control (0.354 and 0.309% avP without addition of bacterial phytase for the phases of 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days, respectively), and another five diets with inclusion of phytase (500 FTU) and reduction of the level of avP (0.354, 0.294, 0.233, 0.173, and 0.112%; and 0.309, 0.258, 0.207, 0.156, and 0.106% for the phases of 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days, respectively) - eight replicates, and seven birds per cage. The experimental diets were formulated to meet all nutritional requirements, except for avP and calcium. Birds were kept in climatic chambers at a temperature of 32.2±0.4 °C and air humidity of 65.3±5.9%. Phytase acted by making the phytate P available in diets with reduction in the levels of avP, keeping feed intake, weight gain, feed:gain, and carcass characteristics unchanged. Treatments affected ash and calcium deposition and the Ca:P ratio in the bone; the group fed the diets with 0.112 and 0.106%, from 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days of age, respectively, obtained the lowest values, although the phosphorus deposition in the bone was not affected. Diets supplemented with 500 FTU of phytase, with available phosphorus reduced to 0.173 and 0.156%, and a fixed Ca:avP ratio of 2.1:1, meet the requirements of broilers aged 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days, respectively, reared in a high-temperature environment.

Qualidade de ovos de codorna submetidos ou não a tratamento superficial da casca armazenados em diferentes ambientes

With the aim of evaluating the quality of eggs of Japanese quail treated superficially, by immersion in mineral oil or propolis solution, simultaneous experiments were conducted in two environments, without refrigeration (Experiment 1) and with refrigeration (Experiment 2). For each experiment, were selected 360 intact eggs distributed in a completely randomized design in factorial 3 x 5 (untreated eggs; eggs immersed in propolis or eggs immersed in mineral oil, evaluated for five storage times: 7; 14; 21; 28 and 35 days), each treatment consisted of four replicates of six eggs each. The eggs had increased weight loss, decrease in specific gravity and growth the weight and the pH of the yolk, besides the reduced the pH of the albumen and their respective weight with advancing storage time in the absence of cooling (Experiment 1), whether treated or not in the shell. However, the surface treatment with mineral oil promoted protection against progressive loss of weight and decreased specific gravity, making them less intense with advancing the storage period without refrigeration. In the Experiment 2, the immersion of eggs in mineral oil promoted less weight loss, higher specific weight, greater weight of the yolk and the albumen during storage under refrigeration. The quality of quail eggs submitted of treatment superficial on shell by immersion in mineral oil is preserved for up to five weeks under different environments, with and without refrigeration.

NÍVEIS DE SÓDIO PARA CODORNAS DE CORTE DE 1 A 14 DIAS DE IDADE

A trial was carried out on Aviculture Sector of the Federal University of Vicosa. The objective of this present trial was to determinate the nutritional requirements of meat quails from one to fourteen days of age. Four hundred and twenty quails, one day old, were housed. The birds were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments, seven replicates and twelve birds per experimental unit. The experimental diets consisted of increasing sodium levels: 0.10; 0.17; 0.24; 0.31 and 0.38%. The variables analyzed were feed intake (g/bird), weight gain (g/bird), final weight (g), feed conversion ratio (g/g), viabilitty (%) and sodium intake (g). The results were statistically analyzed using the SAEG UFV. The regression analysis was performed using the linear and quadratic effects to estimate the sodium requirements, considering the significance level, determination coefficient value, and the biological response of the birds. All of the variables analyzed from one to seven days old were not affected (P>0.05) by the diets, except sodium intake. In both phases, one to seven days old and one to fourteen days old sodium intake presented a linear increase (P 0.05) by the treatments. The nutritional requirement of sodium for quails from one to fourteen days old is 0.10%.